This invention relates generally to lenticular sheets, and more particularly to lenticular sheets having varying lenticular arrays and methods of manufacturing these lenticular sheets.
It is often desirable to impart visual effects such as three dimensionality or motion characteristics upon packages or labels of consumable products and the like. Regular print advertising is accomplished by printing, two-dimensional, non-movable information using words and pictures or graphics on packaging, labels, magazines, newspapers, brochures, fliers, posters, billboards, and signs. One purpose of an advertisement in packaging is to attract the attention of the reader or customer and convey the desired information. The use of products ad packaging having lenticular effects has become increasingly popular.
A reverse printed lenticular sheet presents an image that has depth, morphing characteristics, and/or can appear to have movement or the capability to flip from one image to another. Also, a lenticular sheet having a clear surface offers additional protection to the print on the reverse side from environmental hazards.
Known lenticular lenses, or micro lenses, are typically elongated, lineal or dot patterned across a transparent sheet or web such that an image is seen through the sheet with the desired visual effect. The lenses typically are either convex or concave in configuration, but can also be elliptical in shape. Typically, the lenses have a pre-determined radius of curvature and a pre-determined uniform pitch or repeat pattern. Lenticular sheets include lenticular lenses that are thin, transparent lenses that are flat on one side and include a plurality of parallel, linear, side-by-side lenticules on a second side. Typically, an image is printed on the flat side to create a visual effect of zoom-in, zoom-out, steroscoping, three-dimensional sequencing, or movement of the image when viewed through the lenticules on the opposing side.
Typically, a pre-formed lenticular lens material is utilized for production of labels having the 3D or motion effect. Lenticular lens material, as known in the art, utilizes rows of simple and commonly dome-shaped lenses or “lenticules”, in combination with a lineform or interlaced image, to create a 3D or motion illusion. The lens material is, for the most part, optically clear, and has a flat side and a “lenticulated” side comprising the lenticules. The lineform or interlaced image comprises image segments oriented into contiguous juxtaposed rows. These image segments are typically created on a base material, such as paper, film, or the like. The image segments are specifically designed to correspond to the lenticules of the lens material, and vice-versa. The flat side of the lens material is secured against the segmented image at an orientation where the lenticules are in alignment with the image segments. When the image is then viewed through the lenticulated side of the lens material, a visual 3D or motion illusion results.